Experiencing the Holy Spirit

Moving from Vision to Reality

SEEDTIME AND HARVEST

The Bible says, in Galatians 6: 7, “whatever a man sows that he will also reap.” God made a Covenant promise with Noah after the great flood and said that Seedtime and Harvest shall not cease. Genesis 8:22 – “While the earth remains, Seedtime and Harvest… shall not cease

”Before any harvest time, there is a sowing time. Every seed will produce a harvest of its own kind. An apple seed has the potential to produce apples, an orange seed to produce oranges and a mango seed to produce mangoes. Good seeds produce good fruits. In our lives, God wants us to sow good seeds in order to get good harvest. If you want to walk in divine health, then start sowing seeds by praying for the sick, making time to visit them or even cook a meal for them. If you are believing for a home for yourself, then start building God’s kingdom as He gives you opportunities. The man after God’s own heart, David built a ‘house for God’ and God built a house for David. God is not a respecter of persons. The principle of sowing and reaping would work for anyone that would apply the principle.

2 Cor 9:10 says “.He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” God always gives ‘gifts’ to the ‘giver’ and ‘seed’ to the ‘sower.’ Let not your hands become sticky! God wants us to be ‘faithful’ in the little so that He can make us ruler over much. We need to choose to sow our time, talents and resources in order to receive a harvest. God is ‘the giver of every good gift’ but it is amazing to see how he loves a cheerful giver. There are four types of seed recorded in God’s word.

1. The Word of God is a seed: Luke 8:11 says, “The seed is the word of God.” John 6: 63 says, “God’s word is spirit and life.” The ‘seed of the word of God’ has life in it. Sow seeds of the Word of God in your hearts! David says, “I have hidden Your Word in my heart”. Do you have the Word of God in your heart? Speak the word of God into your own life. Every seed sown in your heart will release life into your spirit. Continue to sow seeds of faith, healing, prosperity into your hearts every day and you will see harvest coming in continually. Speak the word of God in other’s lives too. God’s word always produces life. Ecc 11: 1 talks about casting your bread on the waters. 2 Tim 4: 2, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” For the word of God, every time is a sowing time. God wants us to sow His word in season and out of season because man shall live by every word that proceeds from His mouth. Hallelujah! God’s word produces life everywhere it is sown.

2. Tear-filled prayers are seeds: The needy ones ask but the desperate ones cry. Psalmist was desperate for God. Psalms 126: 5, 6, “Those who sow in tears, Shall reap in joy.” He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtlessly come again with rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves with him” Jesus wept looking at Jerusalem. Let us follow the example of Jesus! Jeremiah prays in Jer 9:1…Oh that my head were waters and my eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for my people. God extended the life of King Hezekiah who was sick and near death. 2 Kings 20:5 declares, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears: surely I will heal you.” David says in Ps 56: 8…Put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Jesus said to the women who were weeping in Lk 23:28…”Weep for yourselves and for your children.” God is looking for ‘spiritual mothers’ that would sow tears for this generation that is lost without JESUS. Tears that you sow for the souls will doubtlessly bring a mighty revival. God is looking for people that cry for the land. They are countless that are perishing each day without knowing God. We need a mighty revival in our nation. Do you have tears in your eyes for the lost?

3. Tithes, Offerings and Alms are seeds: Malachi 3:10, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.” The one that does not tithe is looked upon as a robber (Malachi 3: 8). Why? Because the tithe belongs to God. In the old Testament days, only the Levites did God’s work and there was only one store house. In the New Testament days, to build up the body of Christ, God uses many kinds of servants. There are five kinds of ministers: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. God would use any one to bless you spiritually. Your tithe belongs where you receive your ‘spiritual nourishment.’ Render your tithe where you get your spiritual help! Galatians 6: 6 says, “Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. God does not want us to ignore our teachers and mentors. Abraham prospered by giving his tithes to Melchizedek. God made Abraham exceedingly prosperous. In Acts 4: 37, we read that the early believers sold their properties and laid it at the apostle’s feet. May the Holy Spirit guide you clearly where to sow your seed! Do not give out of necessity or compulsion. Give cheerfully! An offering is anything you give in addition to your tithe, such as gifts for projects like building projects, feeding projects, missionary support etc… Luke 6: 38 says, ‘give and it shall be given to you: good measure, pressed down shaken together and running over shall men put in your bosom.’ God wants us to be mindful of the poor too. Alms are given to the poor and the needy. Whatever, whenever, however we sow, we sow in faith that one day it will produce a great harvest.

4. Your Life is a seed: John 12: 24, “Most assuredly, I say unto you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain”. The ultimate seed that you can plant is dying to yourself. Without that you cannot bring life to others. Life is locked in the seed but that life is released when your flesh will die your old self will die. God sowed His only begotten Son to die for us. Thereby, He got a whole bunch of children all over the world as a harvest. Let us consecrate our life to live for Him that died for us. Apostle Paul said, “For me to live is Christ to die is gain.”

Conclusion: 2 Cor 9: 6, “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” May the LORD enable us to sow bountifully in God’s kingdom and reap a bountiful harvest in JESUS mighty name!